On the surface, DreamWorks' latest masterpiece may appear to be the typical fairy-tale epic. After all, the animated film comes complete with a princess trapped in a castle guarded by a fire-breathing dragon, an ogre, a quest to rescue the aforesaid princess and a brewing romance.
Where in Charlottesville can you have "Sex with an Alien?" The answer is just around the Corner.
For most people, winning the Virginia Press Association's Virginian of the Year Award would be a crowning achievement and the culmination of a phenomenal career. Not so for University professor and political pundit Larry Sabato, the most recent recipient of the VPA's annual recognition. Speaking with the modest tone that has garnered him so many personal accolades, Sabato scoffed at the idea that this most recent achievement has changed his life. "Awards are very nice but what matters in life is accomplishment, so the last thing anyone should ever do is sit on their laurels," Sabato said.
When I was a Boy Scout, I didn't think sleeping on the hard ground was good for anything besides "putting hair on your chest." At least that's what our fearless adult leaders told us so we would stop complaining. But my experience as a Boy Scout did come in handy earlier this month, when I slept on the hard floor of a friend's apartment for 10 straight days. The people in the apartment were moving out, so there was no furniture.
The temperature on the Lawn is about 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but underneath the University, in a network of tunnels 5.5 miles long, the thermometer displays temperatures of up to 130 degrees. These are the steam tunnels that carry heat, steam and data wires to the University community.
It's officially summer. And in the words of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, it's time for us to "adjust the bass and let the Alpine blast." Summer is when testosterone-driven males come out of hibernation, blasting their car audio systems loudly enough to set off alarms, kill anyone with a pacemaker and communicate with deaf whales. There is some kind of primeval male instinct at work here, a sort of my-club-is-bigger-than-your-club mentality that dates back to the caveman days.
Partings often are filled with sweet sorrow. Endings can be bittersweet. And signing bonuses... well...they are simply sweet. Graduation is a time of ends and beginnings.
Twenty-two years ago, Katie Couric walked down the Lawn to receive her degree in English from the University.
There are no Odds & Ends for the Graduation Issue.
The spring in Charlottesville is hard to beat - warm weather, blue skies, chirping birds, frisbees and Foxfield.
As Abigail Burroughs sits at a table at Starbucks, sipping a cup of coffee and nibbling at a chocolate croissant, she seems calm and content.
My Fair ... Pygmalion The Chinese Student Association is taking center stage with a production of "Pygmalion," the basis of the 1964 hit film "My Fair Lady." The CSA will present the play tonight at the Student Activities Building at 8 p.m., free of charge. Though a traditionally western play - it's set in England - the CSA chose it for exactly that reason. "We were looking at Asian-American plays in particular, but we wanted to do something different this year," said CSA cultural co-chairwoman Lily Yang.
I filled out another course evaluation today. And in the middle of bubbling in the letter C to indicate that, yes, I "felt the instructor explained material thoroughly in class," it hit me.
With his eyes focused ahead of him, third-year Education student Brian Davis rolls down the slated platform outside Runk Dining Hall and heads straight for the huge trash can that looms a short distance away.
Gender rules Women and politics don't mix. At least that is the message that tonight's panel discussion on "Women in Law and Government" will attempt to dispel. At 7 p.m.
The crack of a cricket bat rings through the air with a crisp pop. "Hey! What are you doing?
Almost a millionaire Who wants to be a half-millionaire? First-year Law student Steve Perry does after his $500,000 win on Sunday night's episode of ABC's "Who Wants to Be a Millioniare?" "It was a completely surreal experience," Perry said of his 25 minutes in the hot seat opposite host Regis Philbin.
This is a column about politicos, and it's the last one I'll ever write. I've followed them for almost three years now.
It's all in the way you wear it. The air brims with excitement. People shout above the blaring music.
With summer almost here, I'm sure many of you are looking for jobs. Because all the normal, steady jobs are taken already (I don't think there's an available mime or pimp position anywhere near Charlottesville), you may need to branch out to other possibilities.
